Wrench for removing automobile radiator caps

ABSTRACT

The opposing resilient jaws of a wrench for removing the cap of an automobile radiator have terminal end portions provided with means for engaging the ears on a radiator cap and each jaw is provided on its inner face above such means with a shoulder to seat on the ears or hook under the cap. The shoulders are arranged substantially normal to the axes of the jaws and are positioned in complementary facing relation. The distal ends of the jaws are outwardly flared so that the terminal end portions can easily slide over the cap.

United States Patent 1 Shook [451 May 27, 1975 1 WRENCH FOR REMOVINGAUTOMOBILE RADlATOR CAPS [76] Inventor: Alvin L. Shook, 301 S. Pearl,Salem,

Ill. 6288] 22 Filed: on. 25, 1973 21 App]. No.: 409,663

[52] US. Cl. 81/3.1 R; 81/90 B [51] Int. Cl B671) 7/16; B251) 13/48 [58]Field of Search 81/31 R, 3.1 B, 3.1 C,

8l/3.1 D, 3.36, 3.38 R, 90 R, 90 B, 125

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,245,446 4/1966 Morifuji .181/125 X 3,481,227 12/1969 Shook 81/90 B X 3,618,428 11/1971 Phipps..8l/3.1R

Primary ExaminerDonald G. Kelly Assistant Examiner.lames G. Smith [57]ABSTRACT The opposing resilient jaws of a wrench for removing the cap ofan automobile radiator have terminal end portions provided with meansfor engaging the ears on a radiator cap and each jaw is provided on itsinner face above such means with a shoulder to seat on the ears or hookunder the cap. The shoulders are arranged substantially normal to theaxes of the jaws and are positioned in complementary facing relation.The distal ends of the jaws are outwardly flared so that the terminalend portions can easily slide over the cap.

2 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures WRENCH FOR REMOVING AUTOMOBILE RADIATOR CAPSBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The presentinvention generally relates to improvements in wrenches and, moreparticularly, is directed to new and novel improvements in devices forremoving the cap of an automobile radiator.

2. Description of the Prior Art In the main, the present inventionconstitutes new and novel improvements over my earlier U.S. Pat. No.3,48l,227, granted on Dec. 2, 1961 (US. Cl. 81-31).

Such patent discloses a wrench having a pair of resilient opposed jawshaving terminal end portions, one of which has a hole and the other ofwhich has a slot. The hole and the slot are adapted to engage the earsof a radiator cap when the jaws are slipped over the cap. Due to theresiliency of the jaws, a user can fit the hole around one ear of theradiator cap and force the slot around the other ear, providing a firmgrip upon the radiator cap. The jaws are connected at their inner endsby a cross member and a handle is attached to such connective member.

The jaw assembly of the wrench is enclosed within a bell-shaped shieldthat is advantageously transparent. It is highly desirable for thewrench to be shielded so that any escaping steam will be directed awayfrom the hands and the face of a person removing the cap. The shield isof such a length that its edges will rest on the radiator while the capis being removed so as to direct any steam downwardly towards the frontand rear of the radiator.

Such wrench has proved very reliable and extremely useful in removingradiator caps. However, it has been found that several improvements havegiven greater versatility to the wrench and have permitted it to beutilized in a more expedient and reliable fashion.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One of the improvements resides in forming thedistal ends of both jaws so that they are slightly outwardly flared orcurved. Ideally, the distal ends are provided with a one-eighth inchradius at the bottom of the hole in one jaw and at the bottom of theslot in the other jaw. Such outwardly flared distal ends allow the jawsto glide smoothly over the radiator cap and also over a conventionaldrain pipe which extends from a side of the radiator spout. Without theoutward curvature on the distal ends, such ends of the wrench, as shownin my earlier patent, have a tendency to catch on the ears of the capand on the drain pipe with resultant scarring of and eventual damage tothe cap and the drain pipe. This is obviated by providing the slightradius on the distal ends in accordance with the present invention.

In another improvement of the present invention, a flat shoulder orflange is created out of the material cut away from the jaws in theformation of the hole and slot of the patented construction. Suchmaterial was previously cut out in its entirety and discarded. Inaccordance with the instant invention, such cut-away material is bentupwardly and inwardly to provide lateral shoulders at the upper ends ofthe slot and the hole. The shoulders are arranged on the inner faces ofthe jaws and are disposed substantially normal to the axes of the jawsand are arranged in an inwardly facing and complementary coplanarrelationship.

The shoulders serve as stops to engage the upper faces of the ears whenthe ears are engaged by the slot and the hole. This permits the user toexert sufficient downward pressure on the jaws and, without spreadingthe jaws while the wrench is affixed to the radiator cap, to release thespring resistance within the cap, thus freeing the cap so that it may beturned more easily and more expediently removed from the radiator spout.

In addition, it has been found that the jawsof the patented wrenchcannot engage wide eared radiator caps. And, if the slot and hole aremade large enough to engage such wide eared radiator caps, then the holeand slot would be too large for properly engaging the ears of a moreordinary radiator cap. This problem has been Obviated by the provisionof the shoulders. For, in such instance, the shoulders are engaged underthe radiator cap with the jaws positioned between the wide ears of thecap. Thus, the shoulders are hooked over the lower edge of the cap and,while exerting an upward pressure, the cap can be removed with the sideedges of the jaws engaging the side edges of the ears. The cap can beeasily turned and, when free, picked up while still hanging on theshoulders.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view of thewrench of this invention showing the same in potential position forengagement with the cap of the radiator and with part of the shieldshown broken away.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the wrench and is takensubstantially on line 2of FIG. 1, but with the jaws shown engaged withthe ears of the cap.

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on line 3-3 ofFIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the wrench showing the jawshooked on the underside of a wide eared radiator cap.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the arrangement of FIG. 4 andshowing how the jaws engage the side edges of the wide ears of theradiator cap.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now more particularlyto the accompanying drawings, the wrench 10 is composed of a pair ofopposing jaws 12 and 14 that are joined at their inner ends by atransverse cross member or transverse connecting means 16. The jaws andthe cross member may be made integral by being made from a singledeformed strip of spring steel. In any event, the jaws are resilient. Asdisclosed in my earlier patent, the terminal end portion 18 of the jaw12 is formed with a hole 20 while the terminal end portion 22 of the jaw14 is formed with a slot 24. The hole and the slot are of a size andshape to engage the ears 26 of a radiator cap 28.

A bellshaped shield 30, preferably made of light transmitting, resilientmaterial, like polyethylene-vinyl acetate plastic, surrounds the jawsand is attached thereto by fasteners 34 which also secure a handle means36 to the cross member 16 or, in any event, to the inner connected endsof the jaws.

The distal ends 38 and 40 of the jaws are slightly outwardly curved orflared, preferably on a radius of about Vs inch. The /s inch radius isat the bottom of the hole 20 and the bottom of the notch 22 and enablesthe jaws to glide smoothly under the radiator cap and over theconventional drain pipe.

The hole and the slot 22 are formed by cutting away part of the materialof the jaws and such material is bent upwardly and inwardly to provideflat shoulders or flanges 42 and 44 that define cooperating stops. Theshoulders are disposed in a coplanar and complementary arrangement andare arranged substantially normal to the axes of the jaws, at least tothe terminal end portions of the jaws. The shoulders are disposed justabove the hole and the slot so that they sit on the upper surface of theears, as shown in FIG. 2.

In the instance where the cap 28a has wide ears 26a, as shown in FIGS. 4and 5, the jaws are positioned over the cap between the ears and areplaced so that the upper surfaces of the shoulders 42 and 44 are hookedbelow the lower edge of the cap. An upward pressure on the wrench willcause the shoulders to engage tightly under the cap while, at the sametime, the side edges 12a and 14a of the jaws engage the sides of theears, as shown in FIG. 5. The wrench can then be turned to unscrew thecap which will be picked up in the wrench 'while hanging on theshoulders.

Thus, it can be seen that by virtue of the improvements disclosed andclaimed herein the wrench of my earlier patent has been made morereliable, easier to use and of a more or less universal nature in thatit can be used to remove any type of radiator cap, regardless of theformation or configuration of the ears on the cap.

While the best known embodiment has been disclosed and claimed herein,it is to be understood that changes are envisioned, such as come withinthe scope and spirt of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An improved wrench for a radiator cap comprising a pair of opposedresilient jaws arranged in spaced apart cooperating relation and havinginner confronting faces, said jaws having terminal end portions providedwith transverse cut-out portions for engagably receiving the ears of aradiator cap and flat lateral shoulders integrally formed on the innerfaces of the jaws from the material cut-out from the jaws to define thecut-out portions which material is bent inwardly and upwardly andarranged laterally of the jaws so that the shoulders extend in aninwardly facing coplanar relation from the jaws,

2. The wrench of claim 1 wherein said jaws have outwardly flared distalends.

1. An improved wrench for a radiator cap comprising a pair of opposedresilient jaws arranged in spaced apart cooperating relation and havinginner confronting faces, said jaws having terminal end portions providedwith transverse cut-out portions for engagably receiving the ears of aradiator cap and flat lateral shoulders integrally formed on the innerfaces of the jaws from the material cut-out from the jaws to define thecutout portions which material is bent inwardly and upwardly andarranged laterally of the jaws so that the shoulders extend in aninwardly facing coplanar relation from the jaws,
 2. The wrench of claim1 wherein said jaws have outwardly flared distal ends.